Which Love
by TheAuthor1996
Summary: Erik finds friendship within a woman who constantly attempts to escape her service to The Persian Shah. In doing so she is always thrown into the cell beside Erik's. Can their friendship blossom when they have never looked upon each other?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

Erik's cell within the Shah's dungeon was covered with black material that had become torn over the years but Erik was thankful that none of the other prisoners could see him,

"Put her in the cell next to the monster's" he heard a guard grumble before listening to a girl struggling as she was thrown into the cell next to his,

"Disgusting pig!" she yelled as the entrance to the prison was slammed shut after the guards left and Erik chuckled,

"Insulting them will only make them treat you worse" he warned,

"Not interested in having a conversation, thank you" the girl replied firmly and Erik chuckled but simply let her be.

* * *

It turned out that the girl had only tried to escape slavery so she was let out within three weeks but it took only two days for her to be thrown back into the cell beside his,

"You really don't like working for The Shah do you?" Erik asked before hearing the girl sigh,

"Still not interested in having a conversation with you" she mumbled and silence once again fell between them.

* * *

The 14th time Erik heard the girl being thrown into the cell beside his he chuckled,

"You must really like this place" he teased and Erik was stunned when he watched the girl's hand come through one of the rips in the material and he looked at the small crescent scar on her thumb,

"My name's Anna" he heard her say gently and he hesitantly shook her hand,

"Erik" he replied in a murmur.

* * *

It was three weeks later when Erik heard Anna being thrown into the cell next to his once again and he chuckled,

"Will you ever give up?" he asked and heard her giggle,

"Nope but this time I actually let myself get caught" she replied and Erik frowned in confusion,

"Why?" he asked and nearly jumped out his skin when a fresh green apple landed in his cell,

"So I could bring you that" she replied and Erik chuckled as he thanked her and took a bite out of the apple and it was in that moment that a friendship between two people who hadn't even seen each other became friends but it didn't last long due to an accidental fire that burned down The Shah's palace; The Shah blamed Erik believing his devil's fire to have been the cause but Erik's old friend Nadir helped him to escape despite Erik wanting to search for Anna but Nadir assured him all the prisoners escaped the fire.

* * *

As Erik and Nadir fled Persia, Anna searched the remains of the palace and was sad that she found no trace of her friend but she prayed one day that they would meet again.

* * *

 **Yay or Nay? There will be a lot of Christine in this story and Erik shall first meet her at the time he reunites with Anna.**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Built To Deceive**

* * *

Christine smiled brightly at the sight of the opera house growing closer as the carriage drove along the road,

"What do you think?" Gustave asked,

"It's wonderful, papa. Are you sure I am worthy to be an opera diva?" she asked and her father smiled brightly,

"Your Uncle Charles built this opera house to be your stage, Christine. You will be the diva of the Opera Populaire. Of this I am certain" he said with a warm smile and watched as his daughter's excited gaze turned back to the opera house as the carriage pulled up outside the entry staircase.

* * *

Charles Garnier was brother to Christine's late mother and their bond was strong due to the fact that Christine shared her mother's features,

"It is good to see you, little songbird" he greeted as he hugged her tightly and she giggled,

"This place is beautiful, Uncle" she praised and he chuckled,

"I designed this opera house in honour of your mother... My beloved sister. This place shall preserve my memory of her and with you singing upon its stage... Well that memory shall remain immortal as the sound of your voice shall fill the minds of the audiences that shall fill the auditorium and they shall forever tell stories to their children and then their children shall tell their children; And so it shall continue" he assured her causing Christine to smile brightly as she looked towards her father,

"I best go and warm up" she told them before heading into the auditorium and Gustave stepped up to his step brother's side,

"You can assure it?" he pressed and Charles smirked,

"Oh yes. I designed this place in every detail. By the time the managers hear Christine sing. Her position as Diva shall be secured." he said, looking towards Gustave,

"Has the package arrived?" he asked and Gustave nodded,

"I had a friend of mine place it within your specified location" he assured and Charles nodded,

"Good. Did your friend seek payment upon delivery?" he asked and Gustave nodded,

"He didn't seek money as he believes he can earn more if he obtained a position here as chief of the flies" he said subtly and Charles smiled,

"I shall see to it" he vowed,

"What's his name?" he asked,

"Joseph Bouquet" he provided with a smile.

* * *

The managers were enchanted and truly impressed by Christine's audition and she was immediately made Opera Diva; Gustave was saddened by the fact that Charles had been unable to be there to watch.

* * *

The opera staff were not the only ones whom were impressed by Christine's voice, the young woman's talent had also impressed the Opera House's resident phantom who sat within the privacy of box five as it stood locked from the inside,

"Well at least the Italian singer isn't able to strut around here like she owns the place" Nadir said with a chuckle as he sat beside Erik,

"Her voice is that of an angel... Yet it could use some work" Erik murmured more to himself,

"No, Erik!" Nadir warned firmly,

"You are to remain hidden. That is all that is keeping your safety insured" the Persian reminded him and Erik was silent for a long moment before finally nodding in agreement.

* * *

Christine hummed a gentle tune as she brushed her hair within her dressing room and jumped when the candles suddenly extinguished causing her to stand cautiously,

"Who... Who's there? She called out into the darkness,

" _You need not fear me, Miss Daae. Your voice is a gift. It as if it were given to you by god himself... But even a voice given by god can have flaws. I wish to help you. To make you greater than I am certain you shall already be"_ A whispering voice told her and Christine felt unafraid by the the male voice that spoke to her,

"I... Forgive me but... My mother once told me of an angel of music that comes to those whom are worthy... Is your voice this angel to whom I speak?" she asked and the voice was silent for a long moment,

"Yes... It is I the Angel of Music and I have come to offer you my help" he told the singer and she smiled brightly,

"Then if it is my beloved mother who has sent you... The I gladly accept your help, Angel" she said brightly and Erik smiled secretly within the secret passage that stood behind the wall mirror of Christine's dressing room,

"Then sing for me... And our lessons shall begin" he told her and watched as the young diva smiled brightly.

* * *

Erik returned to his lair within the catacombs with a frown upon his face,

"I thought we agreed you'd say hidden" Nadir exclaimed but frowned when he noticed the expression upon Erik's face,

"What's wrong?" he asked as Erik took a seat at his organ,

"I... I am to be Christine's teacher. She believes me to be an angel whom shall tutor her within the secrecy of the night. She gave me her word not to tell anyone of my existence" he explained and Nadir frowned,

"Well... I'm not seeing a down side here" he pressed,

"When she sang for me... It was... Not the same. It lacked... Passion" he explained and the Persian shrugged his shoulders,

"Perhaps her enthusiasm is stronger when she performs?" he suggested and Erik nodded after a moment,

"Yes... Perhaps" he said more to himself.

* * *

Charles moved through the tunnels before coming to a locked chamber that sat beneath the stage and entered with a smile,

"Dinner" he said, placing a food tray on a small wooden table,

"You did well today, Anna. They all believe Christine's voice to be her own" he praised as Anna stood from the blanket that laid on the floor acting as a bed,

"I did what you asked so keep your word and set me free" she said firmly but Charles simply chuckled,

"I don't remember giving you my word that I would do such a thing" he told her,

"You said..." she tried,

"I bought you from that slave market, remember?... Your fate could be far worse than this" before tossing a binder filled with sheet music next to the food tray,

"Il Muto is to be Christine's debut next week... So you best get rehearsing" he told her with a smile before leaving and locked the door behind him and Anna closed her eyes hopelessly.

* * *

Erik slept peacefully within the bed he had made himself and thanked the fact he was a master craftsman skilled in carpentry but he stirred and sat up when he heard singing within the darkness before standing from his bed, exiting the cavern that served as his bed chamber and he knocked on a door that acted as the entrance to Nadir's room,

"Nadir, wake up" he ordered and it didn't take long for the exhausted Persian to emerge,

"What?" he asked and Erik put a finger to his lips, gesturing for Nadir to be silent,

"Listen" he whispered and Nadir frowned as he too heard the faint singing that echoed throughout the catacombs,

"Il Muto... I recognise the aria" Nadir whispered but the singing fell silent,

"Perhaps it was someone rehearsing for next week's performance?" Nadir suggested but Erik frowned and shook his head,

"No... I could have sworn I've heard that voice somewhere before" he murmured,

"It wasn't coming from upstairs... It was coming from down here within the catacombs... But who else would be down here at this time of night?" he murmured as Nadir held the same curious expression as him.

* * *

 **Will Erik learn the truth? We'll find out as the story goes on :)**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: My Voice, Your Voice, Who's Voice**

* * *

Erik held a frown as the first act of Il Muto came to an end and Nadir clapped before noticing his friend's frown,

"What's wrong?" he asked and watched as Erik stood,

"Christine's mouth wasn't moving at the same time as lyrics being sung" he growled before exiting via the secret passage that was hidden by one of the walls that made up box 5.

* * *

Christine frowned as she stopped singing,

" _Why do you stop?"_ the angel asked,

"I... Because I can sense your displeasure, Angel... You are angry with me but I don't know why" she answered hesitantly,

" _Do I have reason to be angry, Christine?"_ the voice asked calmly and watched her turn away from the mirror,

"I... I have betrayed you, Angel" she whispered,

"The night you first heard me sing... The night of my audition to become Opera Diva... The voice you heard. It was not my own" she murmured before hearing her angel sigh,

" _I do not understand, Christine"_ he replied,

"I... I don't know how they did it but... That night I first sang; My voice was mixed with another and it was only before the performance of Il Muto that... My father and Uncle told me to mouth the lyrics... I almost fainted when I did but still a voice came. For a moment I thought it was you but..." she tried,

" _But you still knew that it was not me"_ he finished for her and watched as she turned back to the mirror, noticing the tear that fell down her cheek,

"Please... Forgive me" she whispered and there was silence between them both,

" _Our lessons are at an end"_ the angel said firmly and Christine looked desperate,

"No, No please. I beg your forgiveness" she pleaded but the candles of her dressing room simply relit and she knew the angel was gone.

* * *

Nadir looked stunned when Erik told him what Christine had said,

"So... If Christine didn't sing the lead within Il Muto... Who did?" he asked and Erik stood from his chair before looking out across the lake that surrounded his home,

"Stay here" he murmured,

"I'm going to search the tunnels" he said before heading off, not giving Nadir a chance to respond.

Erik searched every tunnel before finding one where the earth had been disturbed by footprints that were not his own and he frowned, holding up his torch so he could see the passageway more clearly before venturing down the path.

* * *

It was morning by the time Erik came to a solid metal door with a sliding hatch near the top and he frowned, looking up when he heard music from rehearsals drifting down from above,

"Right below the stage..." he murmured to himself before lifting his hand to the handle of the hatch and slid it open,

"Hello?" he called inside as he saw movement in the shadows and he held the torch up,

"Who's in there?" he demanded firmly and watched as the figure stepped into the light,

"Who are you?" he asked startled and watched as the girl rushed forward,

"Please you must get me out of here" she begged and Erik frowned,

"That voice..." he murmured but the girl reached her hand through the hatch and grasped Erik's cloak,

"Please!" she begged and Erik caught sight of the crescent shaped scar upon the girls thumb and he looked up slowly,

"Anna?..." he murmured and the girl released his cloak slowly,

"How... How do you know my name?" she asked and Erik smiled warmly,

"It's me... Erik" he told her and after a moment of silence he saw a tear run down her cheek,

"Erik..." she whispered and he smiled brightly,

"Stand away from the door" he instructed and watched her nod before rushing away.

* * *

Erik dropped his torch before ramming at the door with his shoulder and winced,

"Ah!... Ok that went a lot smoother in my mind" he growled in pain and Anna rolled her eyes,

"My hero" she grumbled as Erik rubbed his shoulder,

"Ok, ok. New plan" he murmured, reaching for a vial on his belt with a smirk.

* * *

Anna heard a scratching sound and she smelt something funny,

"Erik do you smell... GUNPOWER?!" she yelled, hitting the ground as the door blasted inwards and Erik popped his head in with an innocent expression,

"Never leave home without some" he said and Anna rolled her eyes,

"Rescues me and tries to kill me at the same time. Somehow I'm not surprised" she said as she stood and Erik smiled brightly as they both rushed as each other and hugged each other tightly,

"Oh it is so good to hear your voice again" Anna whispered and Erik chuckled,

"It's good to _see_ you for the first time" he joked causing Anna to giggle before Erik looked curiously as a pipe that came through the ceiling of the room,

"What is this?" he asked,

"Garnier designed this whole place. This pipe leads to others that surround the auditorium; I sing into it and my voice is projected there" she explained,

"And then everyone thinks your voice belongs to the Diva" he finished with an angry expression on his face before looking at the pipe once more and he smirked,

"I think I can have a little fun with this device" he said causing Anna to look at him curiously.

* * *

 **Uh Oh what is Erik up too? Find out in Chapter 3!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Crafty Vengeance**

* * *

Anna smiled softly as she looked around Erik's home and admired some of the books on his bookshelf,

"I thought you might be hungry" Erik said making her look up and he smiled brightly before tossing her a green apple with a chuckle as she giggled and smiled at him brightly,

"You remembered" she said happily and he nodded,

"Of course I did. It was the first kind gesture I ever received... Although I do wonder if you would still have shown me such kindness had you seen my face" he admitted awkwardly causing Anna to frown as he gestured for her to sit down and she did so, watching as he sat next to her,

"I... I was born here in France. My father was a composer and my mother was a singer. Music has always been a big part of me because of this but... When I was born... My face was... Distorted" he murmured, gesturing to the half masked part of his face with a sad expression,

"My parents kept me locked away in the home of my childhood but... When I turned 7. I ran away... Never looked back" he explained and Anna placed a comforting hand over his own,

"I'm so sorry" she whispered and Erik offered her a sad smile, patting her hand with gentle reassurance,

"Thank you... Well, we should get started" he told her, standing with a new found energy and Anna looked at him confused,

"Get started?" she pressed,

"With your lessons" he provided and chuckled at Anna's even more confused expression,

"Singing lessons. You have to be at your full potential if you are to replace Miss Daae as opera diva" he told her simply, heading to his organ but Anna hurried after him,

"Erik I... I don't want to be opera diva" she told him and he turned back to her with a frown,

"But... Your voice; It's extraordinary. The world deserves to hear it" he encouraged and Anna smiled with a slight blush,

"I was a singer for The Shah during my years in Persia and even when I escaped I ended up being captured and sold to the highest bidder only to be locked up once again and forced to sing... Music... Music is a chain to me" she explained, seeing the sad expression on Erik's face and she sighed,

"I'm sorry..." she tried but he took her hand,

"No, no, no. It's ok" he assured quickly,

"I understand. Music is the one thing in my life that gives me freedom but... For you it is the opposite and I don't wish to be another jailer for you" he told her gently and he watched her smile at him softly,

"What?" he pressed,

"Thank you" she whispered leaning up and pressed a kiss to his masked cheek before going to get some rest, pulling her hand away from his slowly.

* * *

Erik stood in the same spot for at least an hour,

"Erik...? You ok?" Nadir asked when he saw him, having emerged from his room to get a glass of water and Erik turned to him slowly,

"Anna... She... She kissed my mask" he murmured and Nadir was stunned,

"She did?" he asked and watched Erik nod slowly,

"She accepts me, Nadir... She accepts me" he told him as a smile grew on his face.

* * *

Erik stirred when he felt someone shaking his shoulder gently,

"M... Minor cord" he murmured as he opened his eyes and Anna giggled quietly,

"Erik... Can I ask you something?" she asked and he sat up before nodding,

"Of course" he assured,

"I... I want to go outside" she told him,

"I... I know it's the middle of the night but... I need to feel fresh air on my face" she explained and he smiled, standing from his bed and offered her his hand,

"Come with me" he told her and Anna took his hand gently.

* * *

Erik lead Anna through a series of passageways before finally exiting the tunnels and he lead her up a winding staircase; Smiling as he opened a door for her and he frowned at the rainfall,

"Merde. It's raining" he cursed, going to remove his cloak from his shoulders but Anna slowly moved past him, walking onto the roof of the opera house, feeling the water against her bare feet and she let her head fall back slowly as the rain hit her face and Erik smiled warmly,

"How do you feel?" he called out to her and watched her turn back to him with a bright smile as an entirely different liquid fell down her cheeks from her eyes,

"Free" she whispered and Erik watched as her tears of happiness became tears of overwhelmed emotion and she fell to her knees slowly and sobbed; Erik came to her side, wrapping his cloak around her and held her close, rocking her back and forth,

"Yes... Yes, Anna. You are free" he whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

* * *

The next day, Erik brought Anna to the balcony that sat over the auditorium as rehearsals were in session,

"Why are we up here?" she asked curiously and watched her friend wink,

"You'll see" he assured and it was then that they saw the opera managers walk onto the stage,

"Sorry to interrupt but we need to hear Miss Daae sing the aria from Hannible" they explained and Christine's uncle tried to sneak away,

"With yourself present, Architect" they added firmly and he winced inwardly,

"What's this all about?" Gustave asked,

"It has been brought to our attention from an anonymous source that your daughter has been lip syncing, Mr Daae" they explained,

"This is outrageous! I demand an apology" Gustave exclaimed,

"Do you deny these allegations, Miss Daae?" the managers asked, looking towards Christine,

"... No. No it is true. I have been lip syncing under the instruction of my uncle and father" she admitted sadly, looking down.

* * *

Erik smiled at Anna but was confused when he saw her frown,

"What's the matter?" he asked,

"Well... I know it was wrong but... Garnier and his step brother only wanted to preserve Christine's mothers' memory" she defended gently, looking at Erik,

"She just wants to sing in memory of her mother" she told him gently and he sighed,

"You want me to go back to teaching her, don't you?" he asked and Anna nodded gently,

"She's not great yet but she could be with your help" she encouraged,

"... Nope can't do it" he answered quickly after a quick moment of thought and went to leave the balcony and Anna smirked,

"Very well then, I guess the managers will just bring back that Italian diva you're oh so fond of" she teased,

"Fine! I'll teach her!" he yelled from the passageway and Anna rolled her eyes with a giggle before following after him.

* * *

 **I'm trying to add little bits of humor into the story to get little giggles or smiles out of my readers haha who wants a too serious story? NAH!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Learning A Lesson**

* * *

Christine had been overjoyed when her angel returned, telling her that despite her actions of lying to him, she still held a talent for singing so he decided to continue teaching her.

* * *

As the months went by, Christine's voice became the crowned jewel of Paris and Anna had noticed how excited Erik became when it was time for another lesson,

"You have sadness in your eyes" Nadir murmured one afternoon after Erik had left the lair and Anna looked at him with a frown,

"What?" she pressed and he offered a sad smile,

"You smile when you see Erik... And you smile when he leaves but at the same time there is sadness in your eyes" he explained and Anna looked at her bowl of porridge mixed with fresh honey as she mixed the two together with her spoon, slowly,

"I... I guess I'm worried about him. I'm worried Christine doesn't feel for him the way he feels" she murmured and Nadir raised an eyebrow,

"So you know Erik holds strong feelings for Miss Daae?" he pressed and watched Anna nod,

"It's quite obvious" she replied and Nadir nodded,

"Is it that you worry Miss Daae doesn't return his feelings or... Do you wish his feelings were aimed towards someone else?" he asked gently and noticed how she avoided eye contact with him before releasing her spoon and stood,

"The Opera is celebrating the New Year, Next week so I better get a move on with making Erik his costume" she said, excusing herself and didn't give Nadir a chance to respond.

* * *

Anna had finished securing some stitches on Erik's costume before sighing with relief and yawned, tiredly as she went to her bed, blowing out her candle but realised light still came from the main cavern of the lair and she went to investigate.

* * *

Anna found Erik composing at his organ,

"What are you writing?" she asked curiously causing him to look up,

"I am finishing off an opera I have been writing" he explained and Anna smiled brightly,

"You wrote an opera?" she asked impressed and he nodded,

"Yes. I plan to present it to the managers at the Masquerade Ball and Christine is to play the lead" he announced proudly with a bright smile and Anna reached for the sheet music,

"Can I read it?" she asked but Erik quickly gathered the papers before sealing them in a leather binder,

"No, you shall endure Don Juan at the same time as everyone else" he teased and Anna giggled,

"Is it a love story?" she asked curiously and he nodded bashfully,

"Yes, indeed it is" he answered,

"About you and Christine?" she pressed and he shrugged his shoulders gently,

"Inspired by it... Christine inspired a character called Amita. I myself was visualised as Don Juan and Nadir's personality formed a character called Passarino, Don Juan's faithful friend" he explained and Anna smiled gently,

"Did I inspire a character?" she asked and Erik was silent for a moment before nodding,

"Yes... But I couldn't think of a name for the character so I simply kept your name the same. I hope you don't mind" he told her gently and she smiled brightly, shaking her head,

"I don't mind at all" she assured before hugging him tightly,

"I can't wait to see the show" she told him and didn't see the guilty look upon Erik's masked face as he hugged her back.

* * *

It was true that Anna couldn't wait to see the Performance of Erik's Don Juan Triumphant; So after becoming certain he was asleep, she emerged from her room, approaching Erik's organ before retrieving the leather binder and she sat at Erik's desk, opening it before beginning to read Erik's work.

* * *

With each page, Anna fell in love with each written note upon the parchment but it was towards the end of the opera when she began to frown and she she finished reading the very last page a tear fell down her cheek,

"Anna..." a voice murmured and she knew it to be Erik's voice,

"How could you do this?" she whispered, standing slowly with the last page of the opera in her hand and Erik looked at her guiltily,

"I'm sorry... It was the only way my opera could flow correctly" he explained,

"This is your work, Erik! You can make it work any way you write it!" she yelled as more tears spilled down her cheeks,

"This opera is what you wish was reality" she yelled and Nadir emerged from him room with a concerned expression,

"What's wrong? What's all the yelling about?" he demanded and Erik looked down guiltily,

"Erik's opera contains characters inspired by himself, Christine, you and me" Anna explained firmly,

"Don Juan and Amita... Erik and Christine live happily ever after. Passarino, that's you Nadir becomes a noble general for the Persian army" she told him and Nadir frown,

"And your character?" he pressed,

"My character... Anna. Dies saving Amita's life, ensuring Don Juan and Amita's happy ending" she said firmly and Nadir looked at Erik horrified,

"Erik. How could you do that?" he demanded,

"I did what I had too!... To ensure Don Juan's happy ending" he defended firmly before looking at Anna earnestly,

"Please, Anna. It's just a character" he begged,

"But it's not just a character. It's me. Every character in this opera was inspired by people in your life, Erik. They have traits of people you know but Anna... She's me in ever detail. My name, my description even the words spoken by her sounds exactly like me" she said firmly, shoving the last page at his chest before stepping away from him,

"Well if my not being in the picture ensures Don Juan's happy ending... Why would I deny him?" she said sarcastically before storming away,

"Anna!" Erik yelled after her and Nadir shook his head, unimpressed,

"Well done, Erik. Very well done" he said before following after Anna as Erik looked at the last page of his opera.

* * *

 **Uh oh. Bad move, Erik. BAD MOVE! Please review to unlock chapter 5!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The New World**

* * *

Erik watched as Don Juan Triumphant came to an end and he frowned as the actor playing Don Juan one held the actress playing Anna in his arms whilst performing the scene in which Don Juan's childhood friend was dying having saved the life of his love, Amita,

"This is wrong" Erik murmured to himself, standing and left box 5 via the secret passageway as the audience stood and applauded.

* * *

Erik returned to his lair, walking past Nadir whom was reading the paper and headed into the chamber that acted as Anna's bedroom and frowned when he found it empty; He left the chamber, walking towards Nadir,

"Where is she?" he demanded,

"She's stubborn. I can see why you liked her" The Persian murmured with an unimpressed expression but didn't look up from his paper,

"I tried to stop her but she left. She said there was no reason for her to stay" he mumbled,

"... She'll never forgive me" Erik murmured and Nadir looked up at him,

"And that is justified" Nadir said firmly, standing and tossed his paper onto the table before moving past him,

"Christine is in love with the Opera's patron, Raoul. You've known that for months!" Nadir yelled,

"Why could you not just see what was right in front of you?" Nadir demanded angrily and Erik frowned,

"See what?" he asked and Nadir sighed,

"I'm not telling you, Erik... Work it out for yourself" he grumbled before heading into his room as Erik looked at the ground sadly, closing his eyes.

* * *

Erik had left Paris and his feelings for Christine behind him and he and Nadir travelled the world, seeking sanctuary until they came to New York; Erik had noticed an island just off the coast and curiously asked the captain of their ship whom lived their,

"That place?... No one. That island is what we New Yorkers call the island of the forgotten. Freaks and Oddities go their to live their lives in peace" the captain explained and Erik held a thoughtful expression as he kept his masked face hidden beneath the hood of his cloak.

* * *

Nadir looked at Erik unbelievably,

"You want to go to an island filled with people whom have been exiled from society and will most likely be hostile to unwanted visitors?!" he demanded firmly,

"They're like me" Erik replied simply with a firm tone,

"Out casted, alone... And afraid" he murmured sadly,

"But what can we do?" Nadir asked and Erik smiled, looking towards the island,

"Build a new world" he said softly.

The inhabitants of the island were not willing to listen to Erik until he reluctantly removed his mask, allowing them to see his face,

"I like you have been shunned by this world. I have suffered from its cruelty and its pain" Erik told them,

"Look at us. We are not divided. We are one, we are a family. We are the people whom see this world in our own way... I offer you a chance of revenge. To show this world just how strong we all are" he told them and a woman with feathers mixed within her hair stepped forward,

"How?" she asked interested and Erik smiled,

"By building our own world here upon this island and unlike those whom out casted us. We shall invite them all here to show them who we truly are... Amazing, unique and talented people! Our revenge shall be our welcoming nature towards those who turned their backs on us!" he yelled and the inhabitants cheered,

"On one condition!" a man with the strength of 30 men yelled before turning to Erik,

"That you lead us, sir. The man whom shares half the face of man yet is still one with us. Lead us and we shall be your family" he said and Erik smiled before nodding.

* * *

Many people on the main land were curious as they watched individual structures being built on the island,

"What could they be building?" one woman asked,

"Its astonishing" another commented with a smile as lights illuminated the island and Nadir smiled brightly, nodding,

"It's Phantasma" he murmured causing the crowd to begin gossiping amongst themselves.

* * *

The gates of Phantasma opened within a year of it being completed and society were welcomed as unique individuals came to the island, finding peace and prosperity within its sanctuary,

"Who designed this place?" a woman asked the man named Squelch; The world's strongest man,

"Our founder. Our saviour. The one we call, Mister Y" he told her with a smile,

"Will he make an appearance?" she asked and a woman with feathers for hair giggled,

"Mister Y shares our blood as he shares it with men from the mainland. He does not support one side more than the other so for this he stays hidden. Out of sight yet always watching over us and the guests that visit his shores" The woman named Fleck answered, looking up towards the penthouse that sat at the very top of the concert hall, overseeing the whole of Phantasma and she smiled warmly.

* * *

Erik turned away from the transparent curtained window and looked at a portrait that hung on his wall,

"You gave me the strength" he murmured, approaching the painting and brushed his finger tips against the illustration of Anna's painted cheek.

* * *

 **Review for Chapter 6!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Son Of The Moon**

* * *

Erik and Nadir were going over a mountain of paperwork which contained details of future rides, new residents, schedules, shows and weekly ferry arrivals; It was when Doctor Gangle burst into Erik's office that the men looked up unimpressed,

"We're in a meeting" Erik growled as he looked upon his out of breath employee,

"Sorry... Sir... It's important... It's... It's Code Crescent Moon, Sir" Gangle murmured and Erik's eyes widened as he stood with a firm expression,

"Are you absolutely certain?" he asked and Gangle nodded, approaching before handing Erik a small rectangular card,

"100% sir" Gangle confirmed as Erik looked at what was displayed upon the card.

* * *

 _~ 1 Hour Earlier ~_

* * *

Doctor Gangle, Squelch and Miss Fleck had travelled to the main land to perform an advertising performance that promoted and encouraged tourists to visit Phantasma; The audience applauded with enthusiasm and bright smiled as Gangle bowed thankfully,

"Thank you, Thank you. You are all too kind! And now! For my next trick I shall need a volunteer!" he announced and looked upon multiple reluctant faces.

* * *

Although the mainlanders were very impressed and enchanted by the attractions and illusions of Phantasma, It was still home to the freaks and oddities of the world; This fact made people very reluctant to get involved with performances when Volunteers were requested,

"I'll Volunteer" a woman's voice said causing Fleck, Gangle and Squelch to look upon her stunned but Gangle smiled brightly, holding out his hand to her as he helped her onto the stage, lifting her as if she weighed nothing,

"Why thank you, my dear" he bid gently, raising her hand in the air and the audience applauded half heartedly.

* * *

The three Phantasma performers circled the young woman with brunette curls that spilled down her shoulders,

"Tell me, my dear. Do you believe in magic?" Gangle asked and the woman giggled,

"Of course" she answered,

"She is a believer. Her spirit is strong. The Magic will work" Fleck told Gangle certainly and Squelch chuckled, pulling the woman close to him with a charming smirk,

"She has certainly cast a spell on me" he said, raising her hand to his tattooed lips and pressed a kiss to its surface,

"Away with you both" Gangle said firmly and both Fleck and Squelch vanished in a cloud of smoke causing the audience to gasp as Gangle came close to the woman and smiled,

"Please present your hands to me my dear lady" he requested and the woman did so, watching as the man before her turned her hands over in his own, examining them and she saw him frown,

"Is something wrong?" she asked and jumped when Gangle looked at her quickly with a bright smile,

"No. Everything is quite fine. I assure you" he said, letting go of her hands and took a step back before pointing at her,

"A woman of such delicate beauty and pure heart is certainly worthy of this gift I now give" he said before clapping his hands together, pressing them in a prayer like manner before unfolding them to reveal a small white rose and the woman smiled brightly in amazement as the audience cheered whilst applauding and Gangle stepped towards the woman placing the bloom behind her ear, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek,

" _I know who you are... Anna"_ he whispered before pulling away with a smile and the woman looked stunned,

"How..." she tried,

"If you wish to know more then you shall meet me and my associates here at sundown" he murmured before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

 _~ 7 Hours Later~_

* * *

Miss Fleck pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders with a growl,

"You better be right about this Gangle or I'll set my raven on you" she warned,

"This is the correct moon, I am certain. She bore the crescent moon scar upon her thumb just as the master described" he replied firmly and she groaned,

"Well he'll have you thrown to the waters surrounding Phantasma if said crescent moon doesn't show up" Fleck reminded him,

"Who's crescent moon?" a voice asked making them turn and Gangle smiled brightly,

"You came. I knew you would for I saw the curiosity in your eyes" he told her, taking a step forward,

"The crescent moon is you, my dear and our master has been waiting to be reunited with you for a very long time" he told her,

"Your... Master?" Anna pressed with a frown,

"I believe you know... Deep down inside yourself. You know our Master's name" he told her and watched her close her eyes,

"Erik" she whispered with a sigh,

"Look, I am flattered that he has told you to keep an eye out for me but I have no interest in seeing that man again" she said before going to walk away,

"He wished to apologise" he called after her, causing her to stop,

"He wished to resurrect the bond of friendship you both once shared" he explained, making her turn and she saw him retrieve a piece of paper from his pocket,

"Our master wishes for you to look at this before you make your decision" he told her and Anna reluctantly accepted before unfolding it and looked at the contents,

"He... He did this?" Anna asked softly and Gangle nodded,

"Will you come with us and meet with him?" he asked and watched her nod slowly,

"Yes... Just... Give me ten minuets" she murmured before rushing off.

* * *

Erik was pacing when Gangle entered his office with a respectful bow of his head and Erik looked at him nervously,

"Is she here? She's not here is she? I knew she wouldn't come" Erik said quickly but Gangle chuckled,

"She's outside, sir. We're late as Miss Anna had to return home to relieve her baby sitter" he explained,

"Baby sitter?" Erik asked with a frown before rushing outside into the waiting room and saw Anna rocking a baby gently in her arms as she soothed his whimpers before turning to him quickly,

"Erik?..." she murmured and he looked stunned,

"Anna... You're... You have a son" he murmured surprised before watching her smile and she nodded,

"Yes. His father is back on the mainland. He's working tonight" she explained awkwardly,

"Oh... You're married?" Erik asked,

"Engaged" she corrected and Erik offered a half smile,

"Congratulations... I've missed you. I am so sorry about everything" he told her and Anna nodded,

"I know. Your employee showed me your deleted finale scene from Don Juan Triumphant... You changed the ending so that my character survived... Thank you" she told him softly and they both hugged each other being careful not to squish the tiny baby boy wrapped in a blue blanket,

"I thought you might like to meet my son, Erik" she told him,

"Yes. I would" he confirmed as he took the little baby into his arms,

"What's his name?" he asked,

"Erik" she said,

"Yes?" he asked looking up and she giggled,

"His name is Erik" she told him and Erik looked stunned,

"You... You named him after me?" he asked and watched her nod,

"Of course. I might be stubborn and tried really hard to not forgive you but... I forgave you a long time ago" she admitted as they both hugged each other again.

* * *

 **Anna has a Son! Review for chapter 7!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Tears Shed And A New Home**

* * *

Profitable day came one day after another as weeks passed by and it was one stormy night when Nadir saw a cautious frown upon Erik's face,

"What's wrong?" The Persian asked,

"Something's wrong" Erik murmured,

"Something is very very wrong" he said as he looked out the window and Nadir came to his side, looking out the window conserned,

"Is it the storm? Shall we alert the residents and advise them to get to safety?" Nadir asked but Erik shook his head,

"No it's Anna... My bond with her... Something isn't right" he murmured and it was then that Miss Fleck entered the office quickly after knocking on the door,

"Sir, unlicensed ferry approaching the island" she informed and Erik quickly followed her after grabbing his cloak.

* * *

Gangle and his friends helped pull the unlicensed boat into the harbour safety as Erik finally arrived with Fleck and Nadir,

"Anna?" he asked confused as he saw his friend leave the boat and rush towards him, hugging him tightly as she sobbed,

"Anna?... Anna, what's wrong?" he asked concerned as he held her before looking towards the boat confused as a woman in a black dress climbed off the boat, holding baby Erik in his blanket,

"Madame Giry?" he demanded,

"Don't forget me" a cheerful voice yelled as a blond haired woman left the boat,

"Little Giry?!" he demanded even more confused causing the blond woman to pout,

"It's Meg. I'm not a little girl any more" she whined but Erik looked down at Anna, lifting her chin gently so she would look at him and he saw the split lip that was swelling slightly and her left eye was partly bruised,

"Who did this?" Erik demanded firmly with an angry expression and he watched as Anna's eyes became heavy and she fell forward, limply,

"Anna!" he yelled, catching her as he moved her soaking wet hair out of her face,

"Who did this to her?" he demanded, looking at Madame Giry as she held crying baby Erik in her arms,

"Erik Jr's father" she murmured with a sorrowful expression.

* * *

Sometime later found Erik tucking an unconscious Anna into one of the guest bedroom beds,

"Erik's father?!" Erik demanded,

"Anna told me that they were engaged" he expressed and Madame Giry sighed as she handed baby Erik to Nadir,

"Well he told her they were... That he would leave his wife for her" she explained sadly,

"I tried to warn her... Especially when I found out who baby Erik's father was" she said, closing her eyes and Erik frowned,

"Who is Erik's father?" he asked,

"You can't blame her, Erik... She didn't know. You must remember that" she practically begged as Erik stepped towards her,

"Who is Erik's father?" he asked again firmly and the former ballet mistress looked up at him sadly,

"It's him, Erik... The vicomte. He and Christine are here in America" she murmured causing Erik's eyes to widen,

"Raoul De Changny is the father of Anna's baby" she murmured sadly, closing her eyes.

* * *

 **Who saw that coming?! Review to unlock Chapter 8!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Coming Of Terms**

* * *

Erik held his hands together in a prayer like manner and pressed them against his forehead,

"Why didn't you stop her?" he murmured as Nadir poured everyone a cup of tea,

"I knew she had found love but she always kept details to herself. I guess she was scared that it wouldn't work out... And one day she came home in tears" Madame Giry explained,

"She told me that she was pregnant and that when she had gone to tell the father... She found out he was married and... It was also the night that she told me his name" she murmured and Erik sighed, closing his eyes,

"So did you tell her who he was?" he asked and Madame Giry shook her head,

"I couldn't bare too... She was so upset" she admitted as a tear fell down her cheek,

"It was tonight that she came running home in tears, soaking wet from the rain and I knew he'd beaten her... She told me how she confronted him and told him about the baby and... Well, you know what happened after that" she murmured and watched as Erik stood and began pacing before suddenly leaving the room; When Madame Giry went to follow him, Nadir stopped her,

"Leave them to speak alone" he told her and Madame Giry nodded.

* * *

Anna winced as Erik cleaned the wound on her lip,

"I'm sorry" he told her gently and saw her look at him sadly,

"There's hatred in your eyes" she whispered causing Erik to frown,

"Something I've done... You hate me for it" she continued and Erik cupped her cheek gently,

"I would never hate you" he whispered and Anna placed her hand over his before pushing it away gently with a sad smile,

"You do" she whispered and a tear fell down her cheek,

"Is it Erik's father?... Is it because I conceived a child out of wedlock?" she asked, sobbing slightly and Erik hugged her tightly,

"Don't you dare. Don't you even begin to think that" he told her,

"I'm... I'm tarnished, Erik. I've condemned my son to an awful life because he was born to me" she whispered, resting her forehead on his shoulder,

"This is not your fault, Anna... Do you hear me? This is Raoul's fault" he told her and she looked up at him slowly with a frown as tears spilled down her cheeks,

"You... You speak as if you know him" she murmured and listened as Erik sighed before resting his forehead against her own,

"I do... He's a man that is charming, funny, polite and handsome... It is no surprise you would fall for him but Anna... All those things are just a mask. He is arrogant, proud, greedy and... A monster" he growled, cupping her cheek,

"First he stole the woman I loved... And Now he's stolen you" he whispered, watching as Anna looked down sadly,

"He will never harm you or Erik again, I swear" he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead and it was then that baby Erik began to cry and Anna's friend smiled,

"He needs his mother" he told her softly before helping her to stand, directing her towards the cot in which her son was resting but Anna turned to Erik quickly,

"You're my best friend Erik and the last thing I want is to make you think that I'm taking advantage but... Can I and Erik stay?" she asked quickly and her friend smiled,

"For as long as you like" he assured and smiled as she went to tend to her son.

* * *

 _~ Meanwhile On The Mainland ~_

* * *

Raoul glared at the garden view outside his office window,

"I want her found. I want her and her bastard child taken care of" he growled and his henchman nodded,

"Yes sir" they agreed,

"I don't care how you do it as long as she and the child are gone permanently but if my wife finds out of this then I can assure you that it will be you whom will be dealt with permanently" he growled, watching as the man before him nodded in understanding before leaving.

* * *

 **Oh dear. Anna and baby Erik are in danger! Review for Chapter 9**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Starlight**

* * *

Anna rocked her son in her arms gently as he cried,

"Now, Now. You're going to wake the whole of Phantasma up" she teased gently, pressing a kiss to his tiny forehead,

"He's been crying for the last 2 hours. What's Junior after?" Erik mumbled causing Anna to look at him amused,

"Junior?" she pressed and giggled when Erik looked bashful,

"Well... Two Erik's are just confusing" he defended awkwardly,

"Junior... I like it" Anna said gently with a smile which Erik shared before patting Anna's shoulder gently,

"Now... Try and get him down for some sleep so you can get some yourself" he told her gently before leaving the room once more,

"Awwwww anyone would think you cared for my well fare" she called after him,

"Actually I'm finding it very difficult to compose with his constant crying" he called back in an equally teasing manner and Anna rolled her eyes with a giggle.

* * *

One night Erik was curious when Anna didn't turn up to dinner so he went to her chambers and found her on the balcony looking up at the stars,

"Not hungry?" he asked gently as he came to her side,

"I'm just... Reminiscing. Taking advantage of the rare time in which my son actually sleeps" she teased with a half hearted smile before looking back up at the night sky,

"When I was little... My papa used to tell me that stars were fireflies that angels released in order to illuminate the night sky" she told him and Erik smiled gently,

"You've never mentioned your father before... What happened to him?" he asked curiously,

"I... He died... The Shah, he... He had him executed for stealing" she admitted sadly,

"I'm sorry, Anna" Erik told her, watching as she closed her eyes sadly,

"Executed for a loaf of bread" she murmured, trying not to cry as she took a deep breath, calming herself down but Erik pulled her into a hug,

"These last few days... It feels like you've been avoiding me, Anna" Erik told her gently, listening as he heard her sigh before she pulled away from him,

"Erik I can still see the hatred in your eyes. You've told me it's hatred for Raoul but I know its because of my mistake" she told him and Erik sighed,

"I'm sorry, Anna... I just... I can't seem to let go of the thought of the fact you and the Vicomte..." he tried but couldn't finish but took a step forward, placing his hands on her shoulders,

"But it's ok. You regret it and it's in the past" he told her gently but saw her look up at him with a frown,

"Regret it?" she demanded, stepping away from him,

"You think I regret it?... I may hate Raoul now. However, I did love him once" she told him firmly, glaring as Erik rolled his eyes,

"I will never regret my time with Raoul because it resulted in the birth of my son and he is the best thing that ever happened to me" she said firmly,

"This isn't a fairy tale, Anna. You think this will turn out like the beast will become some handsome prince and come sweep you off your feet so that you, he and Junior can be a family? The world doesn't work like that, Anna. Grow up" he told her firmly and Anna scoffed as he walked away,

"Yeah, the real world is filled with men who claim to be your friend and express their wish for your death in their life's work" she spat causing Erik's shoulders to tense,

"I already apologised for that" he growled,

"And I already apologised for my dalliance with Raoul" she fired back firmly and Erik growled before storming out the room and slammed the door behind him causing Baby Erik to start crying.

* * *

" _Now look what you've done!"_ Anna yelled from upstairs,

" _Me?! He's most likely crying because of your yelling!"_ Erik yelled back and Nadir rolled his eyes,

"They're off again" he mumbled but Madame Giry chuckled,

"That's because they like each other" she told him simply,

" _You stubborn, ignorant, pig headed, son of a banshee!"_ Anna's anger could be heard from upstairs once again and Nadir raised an eyebrow,

"I'm not sure Anna would agree with you" he replied,

" _Oh go kiss a fop, Anna!"_ Erik's voice said and Nadir winced,

"And Erik will most likely be dead by morning" he grumbled causing Madame Giry to chuckle once again,

"Erik is angry because the Vicomte has once again stolen the woman he loves and Anna is angry because she knows Erik still loves Christine" she explained and The Persian frowned,

"Only Erik could love two women at once" he groaned and Madame Giry sipped her tea,

"Soon Erik will have to decide which love is the right love... The women who looked upon his face and fled or the women who looked upon his face and smiled" she summed up gently,

" _Really? REALLY?! You broke my piano?!"_ Erik yelled from upstairs,

" _BY THE WAY YOU PLAY. IT ALWAYS SOUNDS BROKEN!"_ Anna yelled back before the sound of slamming doors could be heard.

* * *

 **Hello all! I just want to apologize once again because I keep being made aware of how my story doesn't make sense and needs editing on fronts of punctuation and so on. I'm autistic so punctuation is something I find difficult :( I'm very very sorry but I hope you will continue to enjoy the story :( Thank you :(**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	11. Chapter 10

**This chapter is dedicated to my faithful readers: Child of Dreams, lovepeacebubble121x & SailorSedna052. They wrote to me saying some very nice and encouraging things that have restored my faith in this story. I am TheAuthor1996 and I write this story. I am autistic and sometimes spelling is difficult. I find Punctuation a pain in the donkey but I write for enjoyment and my dedicated readers. I am no J K Rowling, I am no William Shakespeare, Gaston Leroux, Jane Austin or Charles Dickens but this is my story! Yes it is based on characters created by someone else but it is still my storyline. This is FanFiction . Net - It is a place to spread your imagination and write down inspiration. When I ask for reviews I just simply want to know if people like the story line. I don't want hate. I don't want negativity. I just want to share my love of reading and writing.**

 **I am TheAuthor1996 and this is Chapter 10 of 'Which Love'. #RECOMMENCE**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: A Million Places At Once**

* * *

Erik and Anna didn't speak for weeks due to them both being as stubborn as each other; Erik spent most of his time in his chambers, repairing his piano and Anna spent her time in the library when her son was taking a nap.

* * *

 _Lightning flashed as guns were fired and the residents of Phantasma ran towards the docks,_

" _Erik!" Anna yelled._

* * *

Nadir grumbles at the sight of the storm clouds approaching the island,

"Another storm. That's just what we need" he mumbled, turning back to the documents he and Erik were reviewing,

"Have no fear Nadir. Storms don't always mean something bad will happen" Erik told him as he moved on to the next document.

* * *

 _Baby Erik cried as Anna rocked him gently in her arms,_

" _Anna, go with Nadir and the others. I will take care of this" Erik told her firmly,_

" _I am not leaving you. You'll die if you do this alone" she fired back stubbornly and Erik groaned,_

" _For once can you just do as your told?!" he demanded,_

" _Never" she told him in a whisper and he couldn't help but smile sadly and he cupped her cheek,_

" _Right now I am faced with a difficult choice but I don't have to make it if you leave now" he told her and she frowned,_

" _What's the choice?" she whispered and he rested his forehead against her own,_

" _I could save this island but lose you in the process" he murmured sadly._

* * *

Baby Erik gurgled as his mother read aloud from Grimm's fairy tales,

"You never tell him 'and they lived happily ever after' or 'the end'... Why?" Erik asked curiously from the doorway and she looked at him stunned at first due to them both having not spoken to each other in weeks,

"Because who's to say that the last page of a story is the ending?" she asked gently causing Erik to frown, puzzled as he entered the room,

"The Author?" he asked unsure causing Anna to giggle gently,

"True but the author just writes the words. When a reader finishes a story; The last word of the last page ignites that spark of imagination that could make that story go even further. Yes, Snow White married her prince but what happened after that?... Was their marriage a happy one? Did they ever have a child?" she told him and Erik smiled gently,

"Yes I can see your point" he told her, understanding and he sat down on the bed,

"After I left Persia... I wrote many Operas but... I could never bring myself to write you into them" Erik told her with a sad expression,

"I tried but... I knew that at one point I would reach the final page and... I would have to say goodbye to you all over again" he explained and Anna looked at him gently,

"What made you write me into your Don Juan Triumphant then?" she asked curiously and listened as Erik sighed, leaning his head back against the headboard,

"Because... Everyday after I fled from Persia, I thought of you" he told her,

"But then things changed and a spark in my heart was ignited in my heart by the thought and sight of Christine... But yet I still could not escape from the fact that you were still within my mind... And my heart" he murmured and Anna looked stunned,

"Erik..." she tried but he took her hand in his own,

"I was so angry and frustrated... I felt that by having your image in both my mind and heart I was betraying Christine so..." he began but faultered,

"So you had my character in Don Juan... Die by saving the life of Christine's character" she murmured, finally understanding,

"I thought that perhaps by saying goodbye to you in my opera... Would vanish your image from my mind and heart... But it never did" he whispered, closing his free hand into a tight fist as he closed his eyes just as tightly,

"And now my mind and heart is burned with the image of you and the vicomte... Together" he said through gritted teeth but Anna held his hand gently,

"Erik" she whispered, wondering what to say for a moment before smiling at him softly,

"You know... The vicomte is a terrible lover" she told him and Erik tried his best but he began smiling slightly before beginning to chuckle,

"Was he...?" he asked, holding up his pinky finger and gestured too it causing Anna to laugh brightly,

"Yep... yep it was incredibly small" she told him and Erik chuckled even more,

"Cucumber or bean pod?" he asked teasingly,

"Try toothpick" she teased and they both laughed brightly as little Baby Erik gurgled happily in his mother's arms.

* * *

 _The Vicomte stood within the rain as he disembarked from his private ferry followed by his men whom were carrying fuel canisters,_

" _Find the girl, Bring her and the child to me. Alive" he ordered firmly and the men nodded before heading off in different groups._

* * *

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


End file.
